Intermittent feed mechanism



A. G. HILLMAN.

INTERIVIITTENT FEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26 I920.

Patented! Dev 2Q, 1921,

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Patente Bee. 2% 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A TTO/P/VEY A. G. HILLMAN.

INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1920.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 ALBERT GEORGE HILLMAN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GINEGHROME INSTRUMENTS, LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM.

relocate.

Application filed .Tune 26,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALBERT GEORGE HILL- MAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Intermittent Feed Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to intermittent feed mechanism for use in cinematographapparatus for feeding the film in the projector or in the camera.

The present invention is in relation to intermittent feed mechanism, of the claw type in which an oscillating toothed sector is mechanically advanced to and receded from feeding position, and, the sector in movement at the plane of the film, after entry, has a rolling action similar to the action of a sprocket roller.

According to the present invention in an intermittent film feed mechanism of the foregoing kind the film feed sector is fast on a spindle which is eccentrically mounted free to oscillate within a rotatable sleeve with its axis constantly parallel to the axis of the sleeve and means are provided for oscillating the feed sector to feed the work.

In this way a light, compact, lasting, stable and smooth working mechanism is made possible which is readily adapted for inclosure in an oil bath and which shall give certainty of action within all practicable variations in the relative durations of the operative and non-operative periods, and which shall operate particularly on a cinematographic film with easy or gradual start and finish and without undue wear and tear on the film, and notably so in relation to the sprocket holes along the edges.

For standard cinematograph purposes a pair of toothed sectors will in general be employed side by side at the standard distance apart for engaging simultaneously the usual two rows of perforations, but the present invention is in no wise confined to any particular system of perforations, and the term film-feed sector hereinafter referred to is thus to be understood as including cases of single or multiple sectors.

In carrying the invention into practical eifect the sleeve is connected for drive of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 20, 11921. 1920. Serial no. 392,083.

rotation from for example the uniformly driven gear of a'cinematograph action, and means are provided for oscillating the film feed sector during each orbital or curvilinear movement of the sector spindle, the oscilla ting and orbital or curvilinear movements being sov timed that that tooth of the sector which is the leading tooth for the operative swing of the sector is inserted by the advance of the sector ready for the commencement of the pull just as' the sector begins its operative swing, after completing which the sector is withdrawn and returned to the initial position ready for its next operative swing. Oscillating means which serve well may comprise a slide and groove or slot action between the sector and a fixed part of the machine, for example a slotor groove in an arm of the sector andv a slide rotatably mounted on a pin fast with the end of the bearing in which the sleeve is mounted.

As conducing to compactness and more parallel motion of entry and withdrawal of the teeth of the film feed sector, the slotted or grooved arm is extended in width so as to allow the groove to be made more tangential than radial with respect to the axis of the sector spindle and to be set back so that part of the slot groove is alongside the sector spindle, in place of being radially in advance thereof.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of examples various forms of intermittent feed mechanism under the present invcntion.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position of the sector at the commencement of pull, at its medial position, and at the finish of pull. The position at commencement is indicated by dotted lines. the medial position by full lines, and the finish by Morse lines.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of one form of intermittent feed mechanism under the present invention, and Figs. 3 and 4 are side and front views respectively of the same device.

Fig. 5 is a view of a variant embodiment of the invention.

Figs. 6 and 7 are side and sectional plan views respectively of a modified form of intermittent feed mechanism.

Figs. 8 and 9 are side and sectional plan views of a modified form of construction similar to Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. is a side view of one form of auxiliary means employed for intermittently locating or steadying the film at the end of the shift period.

I spindle 2 which is eccentrically mounted free; to oscillate within a rotatable sleeve 3 with its axis constantly parallel to the axis of the sleeve.

The sleeve 3 is connected for drive of rotation from for example the uniformly driven gear of a cinematograph action, and means are provided for oscillating the film feed sector as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 during each orbital movement of the sector spindle. the oscillating and orbital movements being so timed that that tooth 4 of the sector 1 which is the leading tooth for the operative swing of the sector 1 is inserted by the advance of the sector 1 ready for the commencement of the pull just as the sector 1 begins its operative swing, after completing which the sector 1 is withdrawn and returned to the initial position ready for its next operative swing. The oscillating means comprise a slot or groove 5 in an arm 6 ot' the sector 1 and a slide 7 rotatably mounted on a pin 8 fast with the end of the bearing 9 in which the sleeve 3 is mounted.

As conducing to compactness and more parallel motion of entry and withdrawal of the teeth 4 of the film feed sector 1, the slotted or grooved arm 6 is extended in width as indicated at 10 so as to allow the groove 5 to be made more tangential than radial with respect to the axis of the sector spindle 2 and to be set back so that part of the slot groove 5 is alongside the sector spindle 2, in place of being radially in advance thereof.

The eccentrically mounted spindle 2 may' be otherwise oscillated. For example as shown in Fig. 5 a slide arm ll'working in a diametrical slot 12 of the spindle 2 and pivotally connected to a crank pin 13 on a gear 14 meshing with a gear 15 fast on the rotatable sleeve 3 is another convenient and advantageous arrangement which may be adopted.

In the variant embodiment of the present invention, depicted in Figs. 6 and 7, the film feed sector 1 is fast on a spindle 2 which is eccentrically mounted free to oscillate in a rotatable sleeve bearing 18 which is rotated in the following way. A uniformly driven disk 23 has formed in it a cam groove 19 for effecting a reciprocating circular motion of the sleeve bearing 18 through the mediation of the spindle 2 whose end remote from the sector 1 cooperates with the cam groove 19.

The disk 23 also has eccentrically mounted in it a crank pin 22.

Radiating from the sector spindle 2 and fast therewith is a guide arm 20 on which works a slide 21 fast with the crank pin 22 of the aforesaid revolving cam disk 23 whereby under appropriate timing of the respective movements, viz., the advance and recession of the sector 1 with respect to the film by the covered cam 19 and its cooperating parts on the one hand, and the oscillation of the sector 1 by the crank pin action on the radial arm 20 on the other hand, the insertion of the toothed sector 1 in the film and the operative swing of the sector 1 to feed the film and the subsequent withdrawal and return of the sector 1 to the initial position is accomplished as in the previous embodiment in that definite or positive manner which is the leading characteristic of the present invention.

In a further variant embodiment of the.

present invention, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the sector spindle 2 is eccentrically mounted free to oscillate in a rotatable sleeve bearing 24 to which is imparted a continuous circular motion by a crank pin connection 25 between that end of the sector spindle 2 which is remote from the sector 1 and a uniform driving disk 26.

This driving disk 26 also comprises a covered cam 27 by which an oscillating movement is imparted in proper timing to a bell crank 28 pivoted at 29 and having a pin 29 cooperating with the cam 27. The bell crank 28 has pivotal connection 29 with a slide 30 working on a radial arm 31 of the sector spindle'2, whereby the positive operatlon of the sector 1 follows in similar manner to that hereinbefore described.

'The relative duration of the operative and non-operative periods may be considerably varied in mechanisms under the present invention by appropriately varying the setting of the mechanisms.

' In certain cases, for example, in high speed camera practice, it may be desirable to introduce auxiliary means for intermittently locating or steadying the film at the end ofthe shift period. For this purpose as shown in Fig. 10 steady pins 32 intermttently operatedsynchronously with the intermittent feed mechanism for example through the agency of a suitable cam 33 on the sector spindle axis may be employed, the cam 33 being shown in the fi re as multiple for use in conjunction with two sectors, only one of which is shown, the other operating below.

For high speed taking two sync ronized intermittent feed mechanisms of the character herein'described may be adopted. i

In order that the sector are may throughthe expedient of out its operative swing be truly tangential o er? to the plane of the film, it may be-neoessary in some cases to conform the sector to a flatter curvature as indicated by the radius 34 than that of the normal radius 35, see

or projection purposes the masking maybe performed by the rise or fall of the gate and intermittent movement, the same being made positive by the use of auxiliary mechanism for locating at the end of the shift period, fixed optical centers being obtained by this means with fixed apertures.

What I claim is:

1. Intermittent feed mechanism for cinematographic apparatus comprising a feed sector, a spindle on which said feed sector is fast,'a rotatable element havin an eccentric, bearing in which the spmdle is mounted free to oscillate, means for rotating said element and means for oscillatin the feed sector to feed the film, substantial y as described.

2. Intermittent feed mechanism as claimed in claim 1, hereof, said feed sector having its sector are conformed to a flatter curvature than that of its normal radius-to cause said sector to work truly tangential'throughout its operative swing to the plane of the film being fed.

3. Intermittent feed mechanism for cinematographic apparatus including in combinatlon an oscillating feed member for intermittently contacting with and driving the film, a spindle on which said feed member is mounted, a rotating element having ,an eccentric bearing in which the spindle is mounted, means for rotating said element,

' and means for operatively oscillating the feed member to feed the film, said last mentioned means comprising as a control between the feed member and the driving means a guide and slide longitudinally movable in relation the one to the other for the purpose 7 described.

4. Intermittent feed mechanism for cinematographic apparatus including in combination an oscillating feed member for intermittently contacting with and driving the film, a spindle on which said feed member is mounted, a rotating element having an eccentric bearing in which the spindle is mounted, means for rotating-said element, and means for. operatively oscillating the feed member to feed the film, said last mentioned means comprising an arm forming part of the feed member, said arm having a longitudinal slot therein, and a longitudinally stationary member cooperating with said slot slide and guide fashion.

5. Intermittent feed mechanism as claimed in claim 4, hereof, but with the said feed member arm extended in width and the said slot therein set back and made more tangential than radial with respect to the feed,

member rotatablymounted on a fixed axis.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature. 

